Playing card separator



March 10, 1936. M A, PROCTOR 2,033,447

PLAYING CARD SEPARATOR Filed Oct. 31, 1954 W nnnunnnnnmnnw NNNNNNN R.

TTTTTT EY Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLAYING CARD SEPARATOR Mike A. Proctor, Tucson, Ariz.

Application October 31, 1934, Serial No. 750,883 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-149) The invention relates to a playing cards sepa- Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional rator and more especially to a device for view of a still further modification. shuflling playing cards. Figure 8 is a side view of a further modifica- The primary object of the invention is the tion.

provision of a device of this character, wherein Figure 9 is an end elevation thereof. 5 a deck or pack of cards can be placed therein Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical transverse so that the cards of the deck or pack will be sectional View of a still further modification. separated into groups displaced from each other, Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view whereby on manual manipulation of the cards of the construction as shown in Figure 7.

10 the shufliing of the deck or pack can be had and Similar reference characters indicate corre- 10 thus eliminating the hand shufflling as is consponding parts throughout the several views in ventional. the d awing.

Another object of the invention is the pro- Referring to the drawing in detail, particuvision of a device of this character, wherein the larly Figures 1 to 4 inclusive which are illus- 15 same is of novel construction and is portable trative of the preferred construction of the in- 15 so as to render it convenient for use upon a vention, A designates generally a base, in this card table and which will enable the separainstance the same being in the form of a sheet tion of the cards of the deck or pack for the metal hollow slab to provide a flat top II] and shuflling thereof with dispatch and without the a rim II marginally thereof. The base A is bending or damaging of the cards resultant from preferably of substantially rectangular shape, 20 hand shuflling or separation. although it may be of other configuration.

A further object of the invention is the pro- Formed centrally in the top I0 of the base A vision of a device of this character which is is an opening, walled at opposite ends through simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and the medium of the flanges I2 as cut and bent 5 effective in its purposes, convenient for the from the said top II] of the base A. Adapted shufliing of playing cards, strong, durable, and to be located within the opening in the top I0 inexpensive to manufacture. between the flanges I2 is a series of spaced With these and other objects in view, the inseparator blades I3, these being parallel with vention consists in the features of construction, each other and rising vertically above the base combination and arrangement of parts as will uniformly to a determined height. The sepa- 30 be hereinafter more fully described in detail, rator blades I3 are spaced from each other by illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which spacer blocks or members I4, these being fitted discloses the preferred embodiment of the inupon a tie bolt I5 which is also passed through vention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto notches I6 as provided in the separator blades I3,

5 appended. the t being e gaged in the flanges I2 and carry- 5 In the accompanying drawing: ing a nut I! for the securing of such bolt in Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional place.

view through the device, showing the same The separation of the blades I3 is such as to constructed in accordance with the invention permit accommodation of one or several playa d deck or ack of playing a d placed ing cards of a deck or pack when the latter is 40 therein for the eparation of t cards of t superimposed over the separator blades I3, with deck or pack to enable shulfling of the same other of t cards Testing l h ppe edges with dispatch of the said blades I3 and 1n this fashion the Figure 2 is a sectional i on the line groups I8 and I9, respectively, of cards of the of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. .deck or pack. W111 be separated so that by 45 Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the mg the prolectgd cards of the group thls group may be withdrawn from the group I8 for 8613mm btadea the convenient and easy shuflling of the deck or Figure 4 1s a perspective v1ew of a spacer for pack of cards with dispatch The Operation as the Sep blades of the devlcebefore explained may be repeated for a thorough 50 Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longihuflfing f the deck or peek of cards, tudinal sectional view showing a slight modi- The deck or peek f cards in t original pofication. sition can be grasped either in the right or left Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view hand at opposite edges of the cards of the deck of the latter. or pack so as to hold the same true in stacked 5 condition and in this condition the said deck or pack can rest upon the base A so that when it is desired to shufile the cards the deck or pack may be readily and easily grasped to have the cards thereof relatively loose, whereupon on placing the deck or pack in such condition over the blades l3 the cards of the deck or pack will become automatically separated into groups, as will appear from Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, for the convenient shufiiing of such cards.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing there is shown a slight modification, wherein the base 20 of the device is made solid and has the space 2| for the blades 22, these resting upon a bed plate 23 as counterseated in the under face of the base 20 and fastened thereto by the fasteners 24. These blades 22 are united with each other and held secure to the bed plate 23 by welding, solder, cement or the like, as at 25, this being contained within notches 26 therefor as provided in the respective blades.

In Figure 7 of the drawing there is shown a further modification of the invention, wherein the separator blades 21 are spaced from each other through the medium of a filler 28 as arranged therebetween and this filler may be solder, cement or the like.

In Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing there is shown a still further modification, wherein the separators are in the form of wire wickets 29, these being spaced from each other an equidistance and held within a base 30 in any suitable manner so as to rise vertically from the top of said base uniformly with relation to one another.

In Figure 10 of the drawing there is shown a still further modification, wherein each separator is in the form of the wicket 3| having the halfcircular upper end 32.

It is, of course, to be understood that the separators in the form of the blades or wickets can be mounted in any desirable manner in a base so as to be uniformly spaced one from the other and to have such separator parts extend uniformly in a vertical direction above thetop of the base or bed for the convenient separation of playing cards to avoid the hand shufiling of such cards, which results in the bending, mutilation or other damage thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a hollow slab having an opening through its top, flanges depending from said top at opposite sides of the opening, a plurality of blades fitted within the opening and extending perpendicularly above the top, spacer blocks interposed between the blades for spacing the same uniformly from each other and having their upper edges substantially flush with the top, and a bolt passed transversely through the blades, blocks and flanges to hold the said blades and blocks grouped together and fast in the base.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base forming a flat slab having an opening therein extending through the top and bottom faces of said base, a plurality of separator blades fitted within the opening and extending vertically above the base, spacer blocks interposed between the blades and having their upper edges substantially flush with the top of the base, a plate counterseated in the bottom face of the base and providing a rest for the said blades and blocks, the blades and blocks being provided with notches in opposite side edges thereof and in alignment with each other and means within the notches for uniting the blocks and. blades with each other.

MIKE A. PROCTOR. 

